EDIT: Yikes! There's 200 less than there was yesterday, they'll be sold out soon at this rate

those are poor prices from a group buy, there's no point going to anyone other than the primary distributor if it is possible they're extending the sunset..

I was going to grab just a few more, but not for $17.45 shipping. br> br>

br>metasonix

br>

colorbars wrote:

EDIT: Yikes! There's 200 less than there was yesterday, they'll be sold out soon at this rate

That was me. Sorry.....I've got open POs to fill.

You gents who are raring to go for a (small part of a) group purchase ought to exhaust Chris Electronics or any other distributors/options before making a group order from Allied. I suspect that even in 1000-quantity, the 5C3/2 will not be any cheaper. They have already tried to screw small OEMs before as you can see at the beginning of the 2012 thread.

That's also why harassing Chinese sellers to carry them after Excelitas gives up might be productive. The factory in China making them probably has a contract with restrictions to prevent marketing via other channels, and when the contract expires (probably in 2019) they will find their own customers. br> br>

br>tjs

br>I'm in with a few 5C3s and 5C3/2s in case a group buy will happen. br> br>

br>metasonix

br>Found another distributor who has stock of Vactrols. They specialise in obsolete semiconductors and are not a "bargain". I got a quote of $8.40 apiece for 200 pieces.

Price includes 19% VAT. If you have a valid VAT ID or a customer outside the EU, VAT will be deducted. The shop atomatically checks your location to show the correct price.

Cheers
Steffen br> br>

br>monstrinho

br>

Repeater wrote:

metasonix wrote:

So, to bring this up again.....

Now that Xvive has the 5C3/2, is anyone interested in a group purchase to get the price down? Price is $5.60 apiece for the minimum order of 500 pcs.

Yep, I could use 20.

I would be in for 20, possibly more depending on what the final price turned out to be. br> br>

br>metasonix

br>Bumping because I forgot to follow up. Been using the Silonex ones in the RK5 and hand-matching them--headache. Perhaps I should just give up on the 5C3/2, it's needed in the RK4 AND the S2000 AND the D2000. The Silonex ones have low-current LEDs making them easier to use in my circuits.

(PS, if you have been looking thru old threads, don't bother. Xvive is the only 5C3-compatible maker that is readily available. Perkin-Elmer/Excelitas is no longer making ANY CdS photoresistors or vactrols, although they do make a very costly photodiode they claim can replace a CdS cell. I've got doubts. Silonex and a couple of other companies no longer exist--what remains is now owned by a company called Luna, which claims to still make the Silonex products--at a greatly increased price.)

Also, has anyone actually seen samples of the rumored Coolaudio/whoever vactrol without cadmium? br> br>

br>cygmu

br>

metasonix wrote:

Also, has anyone actually seen samples of the rumored Coolaudio/whoever vactrol without cadmium?

That would be okay for hobbyists but this is rather expensive to an OEM.....And I still find it amazing that anyone devised a "compliant" photocell that meets the tight ROHS standard. Some "experts" have claimed there is nothing else that can do the job but cadmium compounds. It's not as if anyone in Europe is grabbing obscure music electronics and testing it all for cadmium content "below 100 ppm by weight" whatever the hell that means. Plus there's "vactrols" popping out at all kinds of dealers who are claiming they are "different" from the others, but "the same" and "compatible". This whole thing is just really dodgy. br> br>

That would be okay for hobbyists but this is rather expensive to an OEM

Sure. Like you (I think) I am just wondering what these things are. Presumably Modular Addict pay less than the retail price for them so an OEM could source them at lower cost, if they were usable parts from a reliable manufacturer. Or maybe it's a small stash of weird bits that someone found in a rubbish dump. It is indeed mysterious. br> br>

br>Don T

br>

metasonix wrote:

Perkin-Elmer/Excelitas is no longer making ANY CdS photoresistors or vactrols, although they do make a very costly photodiode they claim can replace a CdS cell. I've got doubts.

That must me the most unhelpful data sheet I have ever seen. After reading it, and digging through the total lack of useful information, I share your doubts.

[EDIT]: I guess it doesn't matter if we doubt it or not, this link shows the part as being obsolete: